Wiviott Launches Campaign Website for Senate Run for Domenici Seat

Don Wiviott, who recently announced he intends to pursue the Democratic nomination to challenge New Mexico's incumbent Republican Sen. Pete Domenici in November 2008, has a new campaign website. The website provides a detailed bio, a news section, a link to an Act Blue donation page and this info on the latest polling on Domenici:

A new Survey U.S.A. poll sponsored by KOB-TV and released on June 19 found Domenici’s disapproval rating at an all-time high. The poll found that 51 percent of New Mexicans gave Domenici a positive job rating, while 42 percent of New Mexicans gave Domenici a negative job rating. As recently as February 2007, Domenici had a 64 percent -27 percent approval rating.

Wiviott is a Santa Fe developer who describes himself as "a leader in building environmentally-friendly live/work communities." He has been challenged by Jim Hannan, another Democratic candidate in the race, about a $2100 donation he made during the 2004 election cycle to former Santa Fe City Councilor David Pfeffer, a Dem turned Republican who was running against Dem incumbent Senator Jeff Bingaman. Wiviott explained his donation this way in a recent Santa Fe New Mexican article:

Wiviott said Friday that he shared little in common with Pfeffer’s political beliefs but described him as an “honest guy” and a friend. “David was struggling when he was running for office, and I helped a friend,” Wiviott said.

According to a recent article by Kate Nash in the Albuquerque Tribune, two others still thinking about entering the Senate race on the Dem side include former U.S. Attorney John Kelly and anti-choice Democrat Allen Sanchez, who's currently the executive director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops. Both Jim Hannan, who worked for former U.S. Rep. Morris “Mo” Udall, D-Ariz., and was finance director of the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust, and Leland Lehrman, peace activist and editor of the alternative newspaper The Sun News, have already declared their candidacies.

As to how the NM Democratic Party views the race against Domenici:

... Chairman Brian Colón said the party is intent on winning a seat it lost to Domenici in 1974.

"I think we're going to focus on this race probably like we haven't in 30 years," he said. "I think it's time to say, `Thanks for your service, but it's time to move on.' "

Click to read our previous post on Wiviott's entry into the Senate race, or to review all of our archived posts about the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico.